another Coast-Town ly's 2 miles North-East of Orford Pleasantly seated in a Dale between the Sea on the East a high Hill on the West where stands a large and old-built Church and a small River that runs to the Southward This is a long large and plain-built Town with mean Houses Chiefly noted for its Fishery for which they have a commodious Key at Slaughden a quarter of a mile Southwards and along the Beach towards Orford Conveniencies above other Towns for the drying of their North-Sea-Fish A little North of the Town is a Village called Thorp whence several Parts of the County are served with Lobsters and Crabs Saxmundsham lies North of Alborough and at some distance from the Sea upon a small River Dunwich on the Sea-shore was the first Bishops See of the East-Angles for the County of Suffolk Then a Town capable of that Dignity now ruinous decay'd and for the greatest part worn into the Sea However it do's still contain two Parish Churches Fishing of Sprats in Winter and of Herrings Mackerels Soles and the like in their proper Seasons is the chief Imployment of its Inhabitants as it is with those of Alborough Swold or Sowold a few miles more Northward stands also by the Sea-side Seated on a pleasant Cliff the Sea on the East the Harbour on the South the River Blithe with a Draw-bridge on the West and a small Neck of Land on the North. So that it is almost incompassed with Water especially at every floud And besides the natural Situation of the Place which renders it a Town of good strength here are planted on the Cliff several Pieces of Ordnance It s Bay called Swolds Bay so famous for Ships to ride in is chiefly made by the Shooting forth of Easton Ness a little North of it which is the most Eastern Part of all England Lestoft is the most Northern Sea-Town of this County and a good thriving Place It s chief Trade consists in fishing for Cod in the North Sea and at home for Herrings for which it lies most conveniently over against the chief Herring-Beds Beckles and Bungay are both seated on the banks of the Waveney The first has two Parish-Churches and a Grammar-School with ten Scholarships for Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge Here the Womens Imploy is to knit Worsted Stockings whilst at Diss in Norfolk on the other side of the River they imploy themselves in knitting of Silk ones Halesworth Framlingham and Eye make a kind of Triangle The first is a thriving Town for Retail Trade dealing much in Linnen Yarn and Sale Cloth Framlingham a good large Town is seated upon a Clay-hill near the head of the River Ore Defended by a spacious tall Castle of Saxon Work well walled and double ditched on one part with a large Meer on the other part This Castle had once no less than 13 high Towers and was counted so strong that Robert the rebellious Earl of Leicester against King Henry the Second took up his Quarters here Its Inworks are now much defaced there being only a large Dwelling-house a Grammar-School-House but the Outworks are more like a Castle than the Ruins of one Eye a pretty large Market-Town and an ancient Corporation is situate in a watery Place It shew's a fair Church with the Ruins of a Castle and of an ancient Benedictine Abbey called S. Peter's The Womens Imploy in this Town is making of Bone-lace This Corporation is a Peculiar of the Crown an Honour of ancient Time and has been given in Joynture with the Queens of England Buddesdale some miles West of Eye is but a little Borough-Town seated according to its Name in a Dale Here is a Grammar-School indowed with certain Scholarships assigned to Bennet or Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge Hadleigh and Lavenham are both seated on the River Breton and Bilston on a Rivulet that falls into it The first a Town of great account formerly for its Clothing has a fine Church which is a great Ornament to it and is a Peculiar of Canterbury Of some note for the Martyrdom of Dr. Taylor their sometime famous Minister who suffered here for his Religion But whereas Hadleigh is seated in a Bottom Lavenham on the contrary stands on an Eminence This also has a comely and spacious Church and Steeple injoy's a pretty good Trade and is something the more frequented for its famous Lecture Bilston or Bildeston is noted for its Blues and Blankets And the Women here either spin corded Wool for the Clothier or white Work for the Packer Neyland Sudbury Clare and Haverill are all four seated on the River Stower The first in a rich Bottom is a good Country Town noted for its Clothing but chiefly for its Bays and Sayes wherein the Inhabitants drive a Trade with London Sudbury is a good large Town having a fair Bridge over the River Stower which leads into Essex It contains 3 Parish Churches and drives a good Trade of Cloathing being chiefly noted for Says as Colchester in Essex for Bays Of some Note besides for giving the Title of Baron to his Grace the Duke of Grafton Clare is a Town of more antiquity than beauty having nothing to boast of but the Ruins of a Castle and Collegiate Church but that it gave both Name and Title to that noble Family surnamed De Clare who in their Times were Earls of Hartford Clare and Glocester The last of that Name was Gilbert de Clare who died Anno 1295. He had a Sister and Coheir Elizabeth by Name the Wife of William de Burg Earl of Ulster in Ireland by whom she got a Daughter their sole Heir To this great Heiress Lionel the third Son of King Edward III was married and upon his Marriage made Duke of Clarence the Termination of the Title being only changed not the Place denominating And from this Change the second King of Arms is surnamed Clarencieux as appertaining formerly to the Dukes of Clarence Besides this first Duke of Clarence I can find but two more Viz. Thomas second Son to King Henry IV Lord Admiral who was slain in France and George Brother to King Ed. ward IV Lord Constable But in the Year 1624 the first Title of Clare was revived in the person of John Holles Lord Houghton Created Earl of Clare by King James the first To whom succeeded John Holles his eldest Son then Gilbert Holles the late Earl and upon his Decease the Right Honourable John Holles the present Earl of Clare Haveril on the edge of Suffolk Essex and Cambridgeshire is a small and plain Market-Town not far from the Head of the Stower adjoyning to the Saffron Grounds The principal Trade here is Fustians As for Newmarket I refer you to Cambridgeshire Mildenhall a large and populous Market-Town is seated on the Banks of a River that runs from East to West into the Ouse almost over against Littleport in Cambridgeshire Here is a fair Church with a very tall Steeple And its Market does chiefly abound with Fish and
the Prince of Orange's Forces coming this way from the West Which two days after was followed by his Desertion of that Place and soon after by the Desertion of the Crown and Government Moreover this City has been for several Ages honoured with the Title of an Earldom 1. in the persons of Patrick and William D'Evreux successively 2. In two Williams surnamed Long-Espèe the first a base Son of King Henry II. by Rosamond 3. In two Nevils both Richards by their Christen-names 4. In the person of George Duke of Clarence who married Isabel Daughter of Richard Earl of Warwick 5. In Edward eldest Son of King Richard III. 6. In Margaret Daughter of George Duke of Clarence created Countess of Salisbury by King Henry VIII And lastly in the Family that now injoy's it the first being Robert Cecil Lord of Essendine and Viscount Cranborn created Earl of Salisbury by King James I. Anno 1605. From whom is descended the present Earl James Cecil Lastly this City is a Place well inhabited and frequented injoying a good Trade And its Markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays are very considerable for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Marlborough Sat. Malmsbuâ—y Sat. Chippenham Sat. Werminster Sat. Troubridge Sat. Cricklade Sat. Bradford Mund. Swindon Mund. Calne Tue. Auburn Tue. Lavington Wedn. Wilton Wedn. Highworth Wedn. Devizes Thu. Hindon Thu. Wooten-Basset Thu. Downton Frid. Amersbury Frid. Westbury Frid. Mere Marmister Among which Marlborough or Marleburgh is next to Salisbury the most considerable Town in this County The Town called anciently Cunetio in Antonine's Itinerarium as the River Kennet was upon which it stands but by the Normans in whose Time this Town revived out of the Ruins of the old it was named Marleburgh as being seated in a chalky Soil which in some Places is still called by the name of Marl. A Town stretched out from East to West upon the ascent of a Hill watered by the Kennet not far from the head of it and having the conveniency both of a Forest and Chase in its Neighbourhood the first called Savernake-Forest and the other Aldburn Chase It had once a Castle belonging unto John surnamed Sans Terre who afterwards was King of England The Castle still famous in our Law-Books for a Parliament there held in the Reign of King Henry III. in which were made the Statutes from hence called of Marleburgh for the suppressing of Tumults But King Charles 1. at this Coronation made it yet more notable in making it the Honour as it was the Neighbour of James Lord Ley Lord Treasurer created by that King Earl of Marlbourough Anno 1625. Which Title continued in three Persons more of his Name and Family and since the late Revolution was conferred by our present King upon the Right Honourable John Churchill the present Earl of Marlborough This Town has suffered very much by the frequent Misfortune of Fire under which it groans to this day Near unto this Place is a Village called Rockley from divers Stones like Rocks pitcht up on end Among which there sometimes breaks forth a violent Stream of Water called Hungersbourn by the Country-people by whom 't is reputed as the fore-runner of a Dearth Malmesbury another good Town stands in the North-West Parts of the County pleasantly seated on a Hill near the Spring of the River Avon over which it has six Bridges being almost incircled with that River Chippenham and Bradford are also seated on the Avon and Troubridge near it Amersbury or Ambresbury commonly pronounced Ambsbury on the other Avon near the Stone-henge and but 6 miles North of Salisbury Upon which River near the Confines of Hampshire you will find also the Town called Downton or Duncton Calne is situate on a River so called which runs from East to West into the Bristol Avon This Town is noted for the Provincial Synod held here in the Year 977 to determine the hot Disputes in those Times between the Monks and the Priests concerning Celibacy But whilst they were debating the Matter in hand the Convocation-house suddenly fell down by which Fall several were slain and many cruelly wounded Wilton is seated between two Rivers the Willy Northward and the Nadder Southward From the first it took its Denomination as the whole County from Wilton Once the chief Town thereof and a Bishops See honoured with the Residence of nine several Bishops But by translating the See to Salisbury and carrying thither withall the Thorough-fare into the West-Country which before was here it fell by little and little to decay So that it is at present but a mean Town Yet still a Borough-Town the Place where the Knights of the Shire are chosen and where the Sheriff keeps his monthly County-Courts Werminster of old Verlucio a Town in former Time of very good account is seated at the Springs of the River Willy otherwise called Willybourn Westbury and Devizes are two Borough-Towns that is such Towns as fend Burgesses to Parliament The first situate on the Broke a small River that falls into the Avon Devizes at the very head of another Stream bearing the Name of the Town which likewise do's empty it self into the Avon I pass by the rest as Inconsiderable to take notice of Clarendon a fine spacious Park lying near to and Eastward of Salisbury 'T is seated upon a Hill on which stand twenty Groves severally inclosed and each a mile in compass Adorned in Times past with a Royal House which in process of time is falnto ruin But more remarkable for that in the Reign of Henry the Second Anno 1164 here was made a certain Recognition and Record of the Customs and Liberties of the Kings of England before the Prelates and Peers of the Kingdom for the avoiding Dissentions between the Clergy the Judges and Barons of the Râ—â—lm Which Act was called The Constitutions of Clarendon whereof so many as the Pope approved have been set down in the Tomes of the Councils and the rest omitted But that which has added more lustre to Clarendon is its being Dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom first in the person of Edward Hyde sometime Lord Chancellour of England who was created Viscount Cornbury in Oxfordshire and Earl of Clarendon by King Charles II Anno 1661. Upon whose Death at Rouen in Normandy Dec. 19th 1674 he was succeeded in his Title by his eldest Son Henry Hyde the present Earl of Clarendon To conclude this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants part of the Belgae as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Salisbury Out of it are chosen besides the two Knights of the Shire no less than 32 Members to fit in Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns New Sarum or Salisbury Wilton Downton Hindon Westbury Heytesbury Calne the Devizes Chippen ham Malmesbury Cricklade Great Bedwin Lurgershal Old Sarum Wootton Basset and Marlborough But we must not omit the famous Caves that ly in
New Buckenham ly not far from Thetford to the Eastward Diss and Harleston on the Waveney Watton Windham Hingham Swafham and East-Derham do not ly far asunder about the middle of the County Further to the Northward you will find Repeham Caston Fakenham Walsingham Holt Aleâ—ham Worsted North Walsham and Hickling this last in a Marsh-Ground not far from the Sea Downham is upon the Ouse over which it has a Bridge leading into Cambridgeshire Snetham North of Lyn is seated on a bivuler not far from the Sea Burnham-Market and Cromere are two Sea-Towns in the North Parts of the County Between which is Clay another Sea-Town on three sides incompassed with Waters and once a Market Town but now discontinued And near it Wayborn-hope a noted Place amongst Seamen as is Winterton Ness or Point in the East which is very coldly seated And yet it is observed that the Ground about Winterton is one of the richest and fattest in England Among the aforesaid Towns Walsingham was formerly renowned as for its Colledge of Canons so for the continual Concourse of Pilgrims to this Place Who came hither to pay their Superstitious Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at a Chappel near the two Wells called to this day the Virgin Mary's Wells It was also a Place of note for its good Saffron Near Burnham-Market within 2 Miles from it to the Westward is a small Country-Town called Brancaster the Ruins of an ancient Town known by the Name of Branodunum Seated near the Sea-shore and a Place of good account in the time of the Romans who kept here a Garrison Not far from Hickling in the North-East Parts is the ancient decay'd Abbey of St. Bennet's in the Holme built by the Danish King Canute An Abbey so fortified afterwards by its Monks with Walls and Bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloyster and yet was betrayed by a Monk to William the Conqueror The Bishop of Norwich retains to this Day the Title of Lord Abbot of St. Bennets And it is observable that hereabouts both Cockles and Perwinkles are digged out of the Ground Lastly this County which is the largest in England next to Yorkshire but much more populous was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles in the time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them It is observed of the People in this County that they are notably industrious for Plough and Manufactures insomuch that one shall hardly see a Beggar throughout all the Country And yet which one would wonder at they are notable Wranglers and generally so well versed in the Quirks of the Law that they create more work for the Assizes than almost all the Circuit else Accordingly Norfolk is the County which commonly yields the best Breed of Lawyers and has furnished the Courts of Justice with many an emiment Man in the Laws of England But a great Antiquary has made another material Observation That in this County are a hundred Families of ancient Gentry that never were attainted of high Treason Which if it be true the Gentry here have had better fortune than the Dukes Dutchesses and Earls of Norfolk His Grace Henry Howard the present Duke of Norfolk derives his Title from his noble Ancestor John-Lord Howard created Duke of Norfolk by King Edward IV. Anno 1483 and descended from the Lady Margaret Dutchess of Norfolk Daughter of Tho. de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk first Son of King Edward I. Out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Norwich Kings I yn Yarmouth Thetford and Castle-rising Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTONSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East with the Counties of Cambridge Huntington Bedford and Buckingham on the West with Rutland Leicestershire and Warwickshire Northward with the Counties of Lincoln Rutland and Leicester Southward with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire This County being long but narrow runs in Length from North to South ahout 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West but half The Whole divided into 20 Hundreds wherein 326 Parishes and 13 Market-Towns Here the Air is temperate and healthfull the Soil as rich either for Corn or Grass as in any Place in England And the Inhabitants find such a Profit here by Grazing and Tillage that they improve the Ground every where Insomuch that it is said there is less waste Ground in this County than in any other As for Rivers and other fresh Streams 't is as well watered as most Counties are It s principal Rivers are the Nen and the Weland both having their Rise here besides the Ouse which rises in the South Parts near Bucking hamshire A further Proof of the excellency of this County might be fetched from its Populousness For it is so garnished with Towns that in many Places 20 or 30 Steeples present themselves at one view And considering its Extent 't is said to be honoured with the Seats of as many if not more of the Nobility and Gentry as any County in the Kingdom Northampton the chief Place hereof ly's North-West from London and by common Computation is distant from it 54 miles thus From London to Barnet 10 thence to St. Allans 10 and to Dunstable 10 more from Dunstable to Stony Stratford 20 and to Northampton 10 more A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Nen where it meets with two Rivulets one from the North the other from the South And though it has suffered much by the sore hand of the Dane and other Calamities and of late particularly by the dreadfull Fire which buried it all in Ashes in September 1675 yet it has raised it self again more glorious than before So that for Circuit and Beauty it may at this time be ranked with many Cities Fortified heretofore with good Walls and a strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a mind to remove their University hither Here the Inhabitants drive a considerable Trade especially of Leather and its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions This Town is the Place where the County-Goal and the Assizes are kept Of special note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable George Compton the present Earl of Northampton Devolved to him from his noble Ancestor William Lord Compton and Lord President of Wales Created Earl of Northampton by King James I. Anno 1618. The other Market-Towns are Peterborough Sat. Oundle Sat. Higham-Ferrers Sat. Rothwell Mund. Thrapston Tue. Towcester Tue. King's Cliff Tue. Wellingborow Wed. Braâ—kley Wed. Daventry Wed. Kettering Frid. Bodkingham Among which Peterborough is seated in a Nook or Angle of the County bordering upon Cambridgeshire and Huntingtonshire where formerly had been a Gulf or Whirlpool of an exceeding depth 'T is seated on the River Nen over which it has a Bridge leading into Huntingtonshire A Town of no great account but for being a
for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
eldest Son is Frederick the Heir apparent born in the Year 1671 and the two others are Christiern and Carolus The Duke of Glocester is the only Son and Heir of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Denmark He was born July 24th 1689 and on the 27th he was Christened at Hampton-Court by the Lord Bishop of London and named William the King and the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold being Godfathers and the Lady Marchioness of Hallifax Godmother CHAP. XIX Of the Nobility of England THE English Nobility is divided into five Degrees Viz. Duke Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron And they are called the Peerage of England because they are all Peers the Barons as well as the rest They have also all of them the Title of Lord. All these Honours are given by the King who is the sole Fountain of Honour and whatever Title a Subject of England receives from any forein Prince is not only Insignificant here but Unwarrantable by Law All Noblemen at their Creation have two Ensigns which signify two Duties Their Heads are adorned in token that they are to assist their King and Country with good Counsel in time of Peace and they are girt with a Sword as being to support the King and defend the Kingdom with their Lives and Fortunes in time of War A Duke is created by Patent Cincture oâ— Sword Mantle of State Imposition of A Cap and Coronet of gold on his head and a Vergâ— of gold put into his hand A Marquess and aâ— Earl by Cincture of Sword a Mantle of State with a Cap and Coronet put upon him by the King himself and a Patent delivered into his hand Viscounts and Barons are made by Patent and these sometimes by Writ whereby they are called to sit in the House of Lords All the Peers have Coronets but with these Distinctions A Baron has six Pearls upon the Circle a Viscount the Circle of Pearls without number an Earl has the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between a Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height and a Duke Leaves without Pearls Only the Dukes of the Royal Blood bear like the Prince of Wales a Coronet of Crosses and Flower de Luce. Which is the same with the King 's excepting the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown But the greatest Distinction amongst the Nobles is their Parliament Robes in their several Gards on their Mantles and short Cloaks about their Shoulders For a Baron has but two Gards a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Besides that the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermine that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Furr Dukes were at first so called a ducendo being anciently Generals and Leaders of Armies in time of War Marquesses from their Government of Marches and Frontire-Countries Earls in Latine Comites because they had the Government of Counties Viscounts in Latine Vice-Comites as being Assistants or Deputies in the Government of Counties Barons according to Bracton quasi Robur Belli the safety of the King and People in Time of War depending upon their Courage and Skill in Martial Affairs Anciently a Duke was made so for Term of Life then held by Lands and Fees till Dukes came to be Titular and Hereditary In those Times likewise there was no Earl but had a County or Shire for his Earldom who for the support of his State had the third Peny out of the Sheriffs Court issuing out of all Pleas of that County whereof he was Earl Also those Barons only were accounted Peers of the Realm that held of the King per integram Baroniam which consisted of 13 Knights Fees and one third part that is of 400 Marks each Knights Fee being 20 l. And whoever had so much was wont to be summoned to Parliament But then 100 Marks was as much as 2000 pounds at this day as may be guessed by comparing the Prices of Things 'T is true King Henry III after he had with much ado suppressed his Barons called by Writ unto Parliament only such great Men as had continued loyal or were like so to be Which Example being followed by his Successors they only were accounted Peers of the Realm that were so called by the King 's special Writ Till Barons came to be made by Patent as well as by Writ and at last most by Patent which makes it hereditary But there are Barons in England that have noâ— share in the Peerage as such viz. the Barons of the Exchequer and the Barons of the Cinque-Ports Such as these the Earls Palatines and the Eath of England Marches had anciently under them and such there are yet in Cheshire The chieâ— Burgesses of London were also called of oâ— Barons All Dukes Marquesses and Earls at this day have their respective Titles from some Shire or part of a Shire Town or City Castle Park or Village Except two Earls whereof one is Officiary and the other Nominal the first being the Earl Marshal of England and the last the Earl Rivers who takes his Denomination from an Illustrious Family Barons are so denominated from their chief Seat or a Castle belonging to the Family Which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Sons but must descend to the eldest Daughter None of these Honours can be lost but these two Ways Either by want of Issue male except where the Patent extends to Issue female as sometimes it does Or else by some heinous Crime and then it cannot be restored to the Bloud but by Act of Parliament A Duke has the Title of Grace given him and the other Peers that of Lordship on Honour Accordingly we commonly give to these the Epithet of Right Honourable All Dukes and Marquesses Sons are called Lords by the Courtesy of England and the Daughters Ladies I say by the Courtesy of England for the Law makes no such Distinction but looks upon all as Commoners that have no Right to sit in the House of Peers Of an Earl none but the eldest Son is called Lord though all the Daughters be Ladies And as for the Issue of Vicounts and Barons none of their Sons is Lord nor of the Daughters Lady A Dukes eldest Son is called Lord Marquess and the younger Sons by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas c. A Marquesses eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as those of a Duke that is by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas An Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and called Lord of a Place In point of Precedency this is the Rule Af-the Princes of the Bloud the first amongst the Nobility are the Dukes and these are thus followed Viz. Dukes Marquesses Dukes eldest Sons Earls Marquesses eldest Sons Dukes younger Sons Vicounts Earls
Places to amongst the numerous Towns that are here few can boast of any Beauty Stafford the Shire-Town from whence the County takes its Name bears from London North-West and is distant therefrom 104 miles thus From London to Northampton 54 miles for the particulars whereof I refer you to Northamptonshire from thence to Coventry 20 miles to Lichfield 20 more and thence to Stafford 10. A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the-River Sowe which washes its South and West Parts with a Bridge over it Formerly fenced with a Wall except where it was secured by a large Pool or Water on the North and East Here are two Parish-Churches a free School and a fine Market-Place The Streets are large and graced with many good Buildings And its Market which is kept on Saturdays is well served with most sorts of Provisions This Town did formerly belong to the noble Family of the Staffords first with the Title of Earl hereof and afterwards of Lord or Baron Henry Stafford was the last of that Line who dying Anno 1639 the Family of the Staffords died also with him But the next year after William Howard Knight of the Bath and second Son of Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey having to Wife a Daughter of the last Lord Stafford was by King Charles I. created Viscount and Lord Stafford Who being found Guilty of High Treason by his Peers Dec. 7th 1680 was beheaded upon Tower-Hill Dec. 29. But the Title was in the late Reign revived in his Son Henry the present Earl of Stafford Lastly though Stafford be the County-Town yet it is not the chief either for extent or beauty it being out-done by Lichfield a City and County of it self seated in a low and Moorish Ground on a shallow Pool by which it is divided into two Parts both joyned together by a Bridge and a Causey and making up a City of indifferent bigness In the South Part which is the greater of the two stands a Grammar-School for the Education of Children and an Hospital dedicated to S. John for the Relief of the Poor In the other Parts there 's nothing considerable but a fair Cathedral and that sufficient of it self to renoun the Place First built by Oswin King of Northumberland about the Year 656 who gave the Bishops hereof many Possessions Afterwards being taken down by Roger de Clinton the 37th Bishop of this Diocese that which now stands was built by him and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and S. Chad. Besides the Cathedral this City has 3 Parish Churches And its Weekly Markets kept on Tuesdays and Fridays are well served with Provisions But Lichfield is not only honoured with a Bishops See 'T is dignify'd besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Edward Henry Lee who was created by Charles II. Baron of Spellesbury Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield Anno 1674. The other Market-Towns are Newcastle Mund. Stone Tue. Betles Tue. Pagets Bromley Tue. Tudbury Tue. Walsall Tue. Ridgeley Tue. Penkridge Tue. Brewood Tue. Leek Wedn. Vtoxeter Wedn. Wolverhampton Wedn. Checkley Thu. Burton Thu. Eccleshall Frid. Tamworth Sat. Among which Newcastle commonly called Newcastle under Line from the Rivulet Line upon which it is seated and that to distinguish it from Newcastle upon Tine in Northumberland is a large Town but mean in its Buildings most of 'em being thatched Vtoxeter and Tudbury are seated on the River Dove Stone and Burton upon Trent the first in the Road from London to Chester and the last famous for its Bridge leading into Derbyshire Pagets Bromley on the Blithe and Checkley on the Teane Tamworth is seated on the Tame where the Auker falls into it with a Stone-Bridge over each It stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire one part washed by the Tame and the other Part by the Auker In short 't is a good Town beautified with a large Church and strengthened with a small but strong Castle Walsall is seated on the top of a high Hill pretty well built and driving a good Trade of Nails Spurs Stirrups Bridle-bits and Bellows made here in great plenty Penkridge a Place of good Antiquity seated near the River Penk is now only famous for its Horse-Fair and chiefly for Saddle-Nags And Brewood for that the Bishops of this Diocese had here their Pallace before the Conquest Wolverhampton was only called Hampton till such time as one Vulver a devout Woman inriched the Town with a Religious House It stands upon a Hill and has a Collegiate Church annexed to the Deanry of Windsor About four miles from this Place stood the Oak where the late King Charles took Sanctuary for some Days after his Defeat at Worcester till he was conveyed to the House of Mrs. Jane Lane who was a chief Instrument in his Conveyance beyond Sea From whence this famous Tree came to be called the Royal Oak Lastly this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii is now in the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire eight Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Stafford Lichfield Newcastle under Line and Tamworth CHAP. XV. Of Suffolk Surrey and Sussex Suffolk SVFFOLK a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with Cambridgeshire Northward with Norfolk and Southward with Essex Called Suffolk q. d. Southfolk in opposition to Norfolk which lies North from it It contains in Length from East to West about 45 miles in Breadth from North to South where broadest at least 30. The Whole divided into 22 Hundreds wherein 575 Parishes and 30 Market-Towns A strong Argument of its Populousness Here the Air is counted so wholsom that some London Physicians have prescribed it for the Cure of their consumptive Patients As to the Soil the Eastern Parts all along the Coast for five or six miles Inland are generally heathy sandy and full of bleaâ— Hills yet such as yield abundance of Rye Pease and Hemp and feed abundance oâ— Sheep The more Inland Part commonly called high Suffolk or the Wood-Lands is for the moâ—â— part Clay-Ground and is husbanded chiefly for the Dairy this County being noted foâ— its excellent Butter The Southern Parts along the Borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire are much of the same nature for Wood and Pasture-Ground But the Parts about Bury and to the North-West from thence are generally Champain abounding with excellent Corn of all sorts And as for Parks here are reckoned in this County near upon fifty For Rivers few Counties are so well watered Besides the little Ouse and the Waveney which part it from Norfolk here is the Stoure which severs it from Essex the Orwell or Gippe the Ore Blithe Deben and Breton c. Ipswich the chief Place hereof bears from London North-East and is distant from thence 55 miles thus From London to Colchester 43 miles
King Who in such Case usually make choice of such a Person among the Nobility as is fit for that Station whose private Interest is to preserve the Kings Life and Authority and to whom least benefit can accrue by his Death or Diminution Thus in the Case of Edward VI the Duke of Somerset his Uncle by the Mothers side was made Lord Protector during the Kings Minority And when this Rule has not been observed as in the Minority of Edward V it has proved of very ill consequence But this is observable withall that when thâ— King comes to be 24 Years of Age he may bâ— his Letters Patents under the Great Seal aâ—cording to a Statute made in the Reign of Heâ—ry VIII revoke and utterly null whatsoeveâ— has been Enacted in Parliament during his Mâ—nority When the King was Absent upon any so reign Expedition as several of our Kings have been with good success the Custom was for merly to constitute a Vicegerent by Commission under the Great Seal with the Titâ— of Lord Warden or Lord Keeper of the Kingdom and sometimes that of Protector And such was the Latitude of his Power that except wearing of the Crown he was as great aâ— the King But sometimes the Kingdom durinâ— the King's Absence has been committed to thâ— Care of several Noblemen During the Absence of Henry VIII in France which hapned two several times the Queeâ— was made Regent And so is at this time oâ—â— Gracious Queen Mary during his Majesties so reign Expedition So in case of the Kings Incapacity to govern either through Age or Weakness or by reason of some Incurable Disease a Gardian 〈◊〉 Regent is constituted to govern the Kingdom for Him Such a one was John Duke of Lâ—â— caster in the latter Days of King Edward 〈◊〉 appointed by the King himself who then what with Age and Weakness what with Sickness and Grief for the untimely Death of 〈◊〉 dear Son the Black Prince was much decayâ— both in Body and Mind I come now to the Succession to the Crâ—â— Which is not in England as in France Turâ—â— and amongst Barbarians by excluding Females from the Crown For the Crown of England in its natural Course descends from Father to Sâ—n for want of Sons to the eldest Daughter and her Heirs for want of Daughter to the Brother and his Heirs for want of Brother to the Sister and her Heirs In short upon the Death of the King or Queen upon the Throne the next of Kindred though born out of the Dominions of England or of Parents not Subjects of England is immediately King or Queen before any Proclamation or Coronation And contrary to the Descent of Estates among Subjects the Half Blood inherits as in the Case of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth who succeeded King Edward the Sixth though they were his Sisters only by the Father's side But the Government being lately Dissolved by King James his Misgovernment as well as Abdication the Crown was settled in this manner by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster in the Month of December Anno 1689. First upon William and Mary then Prince and Princess of Orange during their Lives and the Life of the Survivor of Them but the sole and full Exercise of the Regal Power to be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the Names of the said Prince and Princess during their joynt Lives And after their Deceases the said Crown and Royal Dignity to be to the â—eirs of the Body of the said Princess And for default of such Issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body And for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of the said Prince of Orange Upon which the said Prince and Princess now King and Queen of England c. did accept thâ— Crown and Royal Dignity of the Kingdoms oâ— England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging And for preventing all Questions and Divisions in this Realm by reason of any pretended Titles to the Crown and for preserving a Certainty in the Succession thereof the Settlement of the Crown as aforesaid was Confirmed by an Act of the Insuing Parliament which passed the Royal Assent Dec 16. 1689. With this excellent Proviso That Whereas it hath been found by Experience that it is Inconsistent with the Safety and Welfare of this Protestant Kingdom to be Governed by a Popisâ— Prince or by any King or Queen Marrying Papist all and every Person and Persons thaâ— is are or shall be Reconciled to or shall holâ— Communion with the See or Church of Rome or shall profess the Popish Religion or shalâ— Marry a Papist shall be Excluded and be soever Uncapable to Inherit Possess or Injoy thâ— Crown and Government of this Realm and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonâ—ing or any Part of the same or to Have Usâ— or Exercise any Regal Power Authority or Jâ—risdiction within the same And in all and 〈◊〉 very such Case or Cases the People of theâ— Realms shall be and are hereby Absolved 〈◊〉 their Allegiance and the said Crown and Government shall from time to time Descend 〈◊〉 and be Injoy'd by such Person or Persons â—â—ing Protestants as should have Inheritâ—â— or Injoyed the same in case the said pâ—â—Pâ—â—son or Persons so Reconciled holding Coâ—munion or Professing or Marrying as afoâ—â—said were naturally Dead By which Act further Confirmed and Asserted by the Act of Recognition passed in the last Session of Parliament the Crown is by Law for ever Insured into Protestant Hands and all Pretence of Popish Succession Nulled and Invalidated CHAP. XI Of the Royal Family Particularly of the Queen and the Sons and Daughters of England THe Queen of England is either a Sovereign or Queen Consort or else Queen Dowager When the Queen is Sovereign as were Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the two Daughters of Henry VIII and Sisters of Edward VI. he is invested with all the Regal Power and â—cts as Sovereign And whoever she does marry â—o far from following her Husbands Condition â—he is her Husbands Sovereign as Queen Mary â—as Philip's The Case indeed of our present Queen Mary is â—ifferent She is a Sovereign joyntly with her â—usband King William but the Administration 〈◊〉 the Government and the sole Executive Power â—â—lodged only in the King during their Joynt â—â—ves Except the Time of his Majesties Absence 〈◊〉 his foreign Expedition during which Her â—jesty is Vested by a late Act of Parliament with the Administration and acts as Queen Regent A Queen Consort without Sovereignty is Reputed however the Second Person in the Kingdom and Respected accordingly The Law sets so high a value upon Her as to make it High Treason to conspire her Death or to violate her Chastity She has her Royal Court and Officers apart with a large Dower to maintain her Greatness And though she be an Alien born yet without Denization or Naturalization she may purchase Lands in
Fee-simple make Leases and Grants and sue in her own Name without the King which is not in the power of any other Feme-covert or married Woman to do A Queen Dowager or Widow-Queen is still Respected as a Queen in her Widowhood and keeps a Court accordingly And though she should marry a private Gentleman as did Queen Catharine King Henry the Fifths Widow she does not lose her Dignity By the Sons and Daughters of England I mean the King's Children So called because all the Subjects of England have a special Interest i◠Them though their Education and the Disposing of Them is only in the King The Eldest Son commonly called the Prince of Wales is born Duke of Cornwal and afterwards created Prince of Wales Upon his Birth he is by Law of full Age to sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom as if he were full a Years of Age. But so much of the Lands 〈◊〉 Demesns of it have been Alienated that h◠Revenues are chiefly out of the Tin-Mines i◠Cornwall Which with all other Profits of the Dutchy amount yearly to the Sum of 140◠Pounds and the Prince's whole Revenues to about 20000 l. When King Edward I had compleated the Conquest of Wales He divided it into Seven Shires to which Henry VIII added five more out of the March Lands Over each of the Seven Shires King Edward placed a particular English Lieutenant and over the whole he designed a Vicegerent The Welch being disgusted at this He sent for his Queen then great with Child to Caernarvan where she was delivered of a Son Upon the News whereof the King assembled the Chief Men of that Nation and offered to name them a Governour born in Wales who could not speak one word of English and against whose Life they could take no just exception Such a one when they had all sworn to obey he named his young Son Edward Whereupon He created him Prince of Wales and since that time the Kings of England eldest Sons have been called Princes of Wales Whereas while Normandy was in the Power of the English which lasted till the Reign of King John they were stiled Dukes of Normandy The Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and a Coronet on the Princes Head as a Token of his Principality by delivering into his hand a Verge of Gold the Emblem of Government by putting a Gold Ring on his Finger in token that he must be a Husband to his Country and a Father to her Children and by giving him a Patent to hold the said Principality to Him and his Heirs Kings of England By which Words the Separation of it from the Crown is prohibited and the King keeps to himself an excellent Occasion of obliging unto Him his Son when he pleases In Imitation of which Custom John I King of Castille and Leon made his Son Henry Prince of the Asturias a Country so Craggy and Mountainous that it may not improperly be called the Wales of Spain And all the Spanish Princes ever since have been honoured with that Title The Mantle worn in Parliament by the Prince of Wales has for Distinctions sake one gard more than a Duke's his Coronet of Crosses and Flower de luces and his Cap of State indented His Arms differ from the Kings only by addition of a Label of three points And his peculiar Device is a Coronet beautified with three Ostrich Feathers inscribed with ICH DIEN that is I serve Alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel The Heir while he is a Child differs not from a Servant Which Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohemia serving there under the French King and there slain by Edward the Black Prince Since worn by the Princes of Wales and by the Vulgar called the Princes Arms. In short the King of England's Eldest Son has ever since been stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Flint these Earldoms being conferred upon him by Letters Patent As Eldest Son to the King of Scotland he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth Though he is a Subject yet the Law looks upon his Person as so Sacred that it is high Treason to imagine his Death or violate his Wife The Younger Sons of England depend altogether upon the King's Favour both for Titles of Honour and Revenues sutable to their Birch For they are not born Dukes or Earls but are so created according to the Kings Pleasure Neither have they as in France certain Appanages but only what Revenue the King pleases to bestow upon them They are indeed by Birth-right as well as the Prince of Wales Counsellors of State whereby they may fit themselves to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom The Daughters are called Princesses And to violate them unmarried is High Treason The Title of Royal Highness is common to all the King's Children All Subjects ought to be uncovered in their Presence to kneel when they are admitted to kiss their hands and to be served on the Knee at Table unless the King be present Lastly all Persons of the Royal Bloud being a Lawful Issue have the Precedency of all others in England As for the King 's Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters they are commonly created Dukes and Dutchesses and bear what Surname the King pleases to give them King Henry I. and Charles II. of blessed Memory are noted to have had the most of any CHAP. XII Of the Nine Great Officers of the Crown NEXT to the Royal Family the Great Officers of the Crown come of course to be Inquired into which are Nine in Number Viz. The Lord High Steward The Lord High Chancellor The Lord High Treasurer The Lord President of the Kings Council The Lord Privy Seal The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord High Constable The Lord Earl Marshal The Lord High Admiral The Lord High Steward of England is the highest Officer under the King His Office not unlike that of the Mayre of the Pallace under the ancient Kings of France is to rule and govern the Kingdom under the King in Time of Peace and War during his Reign Which Power being thought too large and exorbitant for a Subject to have this Great Officer has been discontinned ever since Henry of Bullingbrock Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster afterwards King of England under the Name of Henry IV. Only at a Coronation also for the Trial of a Peer or Peeress for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime the King makes a High Steward for that Time Who during his Stewardship is called His Grace and bears a white Staff in his hand which he openly breaks when the Business is over and so ends his Office By virtue of his Office at a Coronation he sits Judicially at the King's Pallace at Westminster Where he receives the Bills and Petitions of all such Noblemen and others who by reason of their Tenure or otherwise
Woman upon Marriage does not only lose the Power over her Person Will and Goods but she must part with her very Name and ever after use her Husband's Surname contrary to the Custom of some other Countries One Thing more there is yet which evidences the great Subjection of a Wife to her Husband And that is the Punishment inflicted upon a Woman that has Killed her Husband which is to be Burnt alive the Offence being counted Petty-Treason by Law that is as great a Crime as the Killing of his Father or Master Yet in some things the Law is very favourable to the female Sex of England As for Example if a Wife bring forth a Child begotten before Marriage by another Man than her present Husband her Husband is bound to own the Child and that Child shall be his Heir at Law So literally we take the Saying Pater est quem Nuptiae demonstrant If a Husband be a long time absent from his Wife though it be for some Years and his Wife bring forth a Child during his Absence he must father that Child in case he lived all the while in this Island or to speak the Words of the Law inter quatuor Maria. And if that Child be her first-born Son and her Husband's Estate Intailed or left without Will that Child shall be Heir to it Another Priviledge of English-Women is that the Wife having no Joynture settled before Marriage may challenge after her Husband's Death the third part of his yearly Rents of Land during her Life and within the City of London a third Part of all her Husband's Moveables for ever If there be many Children the rest comes to the eldest if not to the next Heir at Law And if she do not approve of the Division she may claim the Right of being Indowed with the best of the Land to a third part But if the Law be so favourable in some Cases to married Women Custom or rather the good Nature of Englishmen makes their Condition much happier Whose Respect and Tenderness for them is generally so great that every where they give 'em the Precedency and put them the least of any Nation upon Drudgery and Hardship Women are not here mewed up as in Italy and Spain and that mischievous Passion of Jealousy has got so little footing here that the Nation is little troubled with its troublesom Influences or fatal Consequences In short married Women have here more Liberty than any where else Their chief Care is of the House and Houshold according to the ancient Custom of the Greek Wives which is indeed the proper Office of a Wife as the Husband 's is to mind his Concerns abroad And such is generally their Carriage to their Husbands and their mutual Tenderness for them that where the Law gives them nothing the dying Husband often leaves all behind him to the Disposal of his Wife Except in London where a peculiar Order is taken by the City agreeable to the Civil Law A Knight's Wife is by the Courtesy of England counted and called a Lady If her Husband die before her and she take afterwards 〈◊〉 Husband of a lower estate still she shall be â—alled Lady with the surname of her first husband and not of the second Which is by â—he Courtesy of England and according to â—adies of a higher Rank as I have before obâ—erved In point of real Estate 't is Observable that â—f the Wife be an Heiress and bring to her Husband an Estate in Land that Land descends â—o her eldest Son and if she has no Sons â—ut only Daughters it is divided amongst â—hem But if she dies without Issue the â—and goes immediately to the next Heir at Law Only the Husband shall enjoy the Proâ—â—es thereof during his Life if so be that he â—â—d a Child alive of her Body that had been heard once to cry And this also is called the Courtesy of England As to what I said before touching real and personal Estates in case of Matrimony the same is to be understood in the sense of the Common Law where there is no private Contract For whatever Contract or Covenants were made before the Marriage betwixt the husband and the Wife either by themselves â—y their Parents or Friends they take place â—nd are of force to be Kept according to the Validity thereof Lastly the Wife in England is accounted 〈◊〉 much one with her Husband that she cannot be produced as Witness for or against her Husband And so strong is the Tie that joyns them together that they may not be wholly Separated by any Agreement between themselves but only by a Judicial Sentence Now there is a twofold Separation both called by the name of Divorce The one in case of Adultery a Mensa Thoro Which is nothing else but a living asunder without a liberty-to Remarry whilst either Party is alive Whereas the other is a Vinculo Matrimonii from the Bond of Matrimony whereby each Party is free to Remarry And this is allowed upon a Nullity of the Marriage or upon some essential Impediment as Consanguinity or Affinity within the Degrees forbidden Precontract Impotency or such like Of which Divines reckon fourteen according to these Verses Error Conditio Votum Cognatio Crimen Cultus Disparitas Vis Ordo Ligamen Honestas Si sis Affinis si forte Coire nequibis Si Parochi duplicis desit praesentia Testis Raptave sit Mulier c. But sometimes in case of Adultery this plenary Divorce has been allowed of in private Cases by Act of Parliament CHAP. XXVI Of Children and Servants FRom the Condition of Women in England I come now to that of Children and Servants As to the first a Father in England has a more absolute Authority over his Children than is usual in our Neighbour Countries Here a Father may give all his Estate Unintailed from his Children and all to one Child the Consideration whereof is apt to keep his Children in aw and within the bounds of filial Obedience But commonly the eldest Son inherits all Lands and the younger Children Goods and Chattels by which is meant the Personal Estate Among the Nobility and Gentry the eldest Son 's Wife's Portion does usually go for the Portions of his Sisters and the younger Sons are put out to some Profession The Reason why the eldest Son is so well provided beyond the rest of the Children is that he may be the better able to bear up the Honour of the Family which in course â—alls to the share of the Eldest For when all is done Titular Honour without Means is commonly lookt upon but as an empty Shadow But if there be no Son the Lands as well as Goods are equally divided among the Daughters A Son at the Age of 14 his Father being dead may chuse his Gardian and may claim his Land holden in Socage that is such Lands as Tenants hold by or for certain inferiour Services of Husbandry to be performed to the Lord of
600 Years ago viz. in the Reign of William the Conquerour and was six Years a making The same is Kept under three Locks and Keys not to be lookt into under 6 s. 8 d. and for every Line transcribed is to be paid 4 d. Under the two Chamberlains are their Deputies who sit in the Tally-Court where they examine the Tallies and there is also a Tallyâ—utter attending this Way of Tallies being found by long experience to be absolutely the best Way to avoid all Cozenage in the Kings Revenue Which is after this manner He that pays any Monies into the Exchequer receives for his Acquittance a Tally that is a stick with Words written on it on both sides containing the Acquittance proper to express what the Mony received is for This being cloven asunder by the Deputy-Chamberlains the Stock is delivered to the Party that paid the Mony the Counter-stock or Counter-foil remaining with them Who afterwards deliver it over to other Deputies to be Kept till it be called for and joyned with the Stock After which they send it by an Officer of their own to the Pipe to be applied to the Discharge of the Accomptant Next to the two Chamberlains is the Auditor of the Receipts who files the Bills of the Tellers whereby they charge themselves with all the Monies received and upon the Lord High Treasurer's Warrant or the Lords High Commissioners draws all Orders to be signed by him or them for Issuing forth all Monies by virtue of Privy Seals Which Orders are recorded by the Clerk of the Pells and are entred and lodged in the said Auditor's Office He also by Warrant of the Lord Treasurer or Commissioners makes Debenturs to the several Persons who have Fees Annuities or Pensions by Letters Patents from the King out of the Exchequer and directs them for Payment to the Tellers He daily receives the state of each Teller's Account and weekly certifies the Whole to the Lord High-Treasurer or Lords Commissioners who immediately present the Ballance to the King Twice a Year viz. at Lady-Day and Michaelmas he makes an Abstract of all Accounts made in the preceeding Half-Year whereof he delivers a Copy to the Lord Treasurer and another to the Chancellour of the Exchequer He keeps the several Registers appointed for paying all Persons in course upon several Branches of the Kings Revenue Lastly he has five Clerks to manage under him the estate of Monies received disbursed and remaining Next there are four Tellers whose Office is to receive all Monies due to the King And though their Salary from the King be small and inconsiderable yet they are bound to His Majesty in 20000 l. Security and Keep each of them two Clerks who constantly attend their Offices There is moreover a Clerk of the Pells so called from Pellis a Skin his Office being to enter every Teller's Bill into a Parchment Skin He has two Clerks under him one for Incomes the other for Issue Lastly there are three Ushers of the Receipt a Tally-cutter and four Messengers The Ushers Office is to see the Exchequer secured Day and Night and to find Paper Books c. for the Use of the Exchequer 'T is observable that in case of a Gift from the King or Pension out of his Exchequer he that receives it pays but 5 l. per Cent. amongst all the Officers And out of publick Payments as for the Navy Ordnance Wardrobe Mint c. there goes not amongst them so much as 5 s. per Cent. On the other side for Monies paid in by any of the King's Tenants it costs them at the most but 3 s. for every Payment under a thousand pounds and that goes only to the Clerks for their Pains in writing and attending CHAP. XVIII Of the Queen Dowager the Princess Ann of Denmark Prince George and the Duke of Glocester QUeen Catharine the Widow of the late King Charles and now the third Person in the Kingdom is the only Sister of Pedro the present King of Portugal Where she was born Nov. 14th 1638 and marrried to the late King Charles in the Year 1662. The Portion she brought with her was about 300000 pounds Sterling besides Tangier in the Streights upon the Coast of Africk and the Isle of Bombay near Goa in the East-Indies To which was added a Priviledge for any Subjects of England to Trade freely in the East and West-India Plantations belonging to the Portugueze Her Majesties Joynture by the Articles of Marriage is 30000 pound a Year To which King Charles added 10000 l. more which he settled on her Majesty for her Life So that the Queen Dowager has 40000 pound a Year wherewith she keeps a Court suitable to Her Majesty The Princess Ann of Denmark second Daughter to the late King James and only Sister to our Gracious Queen Mary was born in Febr. 1664. And July 28th 1683 being S. Anns Day she was married to the Illustrious Prince George the only Brother to Christiern V the present King of Denmark His Royal Highness was born at Copenhagen the chief City of Denmark in April 1653. At 15 Years of age he began his Travels into Holland England France and Italy which lasted about two Years Being 20 Years old in the Year 1673 he travelled into Germany where he saw the Imperial and the French Armies near the Rhine Anno 1675 his Royal Highness served in the War against the Swedes and was at the taking of Wismar The next Year he commanded a part of the Danish Army at the Battel of Lunden in Schonen against the King of Sweden And in the Year 1677 he commanded again a part of the Danish Army at the famous Battle of landscroon where he signalized his Valour Afterwards His Royal Highness made several Voyages into Germany and continued some Years abroad And after his Return into Copenhagen the Treaty of Marriage with Him and the Lady Ann being set on foot was happily brought to Conclusion By which Treaty His Royal Highness is declared to be received as one of the Princes of the Bloud Royal of England all his Officers and Servants to be from time to time appointed by and with the Approbation of the King of England and his Revenue coming from Denmark to be 17500 pounds sterling Yearly which is a great Revenue in that Country The Princesseâ— Portion is 30000 l. a Year to be paid by thâ— King To which 20000 l. per Annum being lately superadded and payable out of the Excise the whole Yearly Revenue of the Prince and Princess amounts to 67500 l. sterling Wherewith they Keep a Court suitable to their Royal Highnesses The Prince has four Sisters The first married to John George the present Elector of Saxony The second to Christian Adolph Duke of Holstein Gottorp The third to the late Elector Palatine of the Rhine who died without Issue And the fourth to the present King of Sweden Charles XI His Brother the present King of Denmark has three Sons and two Daughters The